Cleaning machines



ocr. 27, 1959 T, J, KERNEY ET'AL 2,909,872

CLEANING MACHINES v4 Sheets-Sheet 1v Filed Feb. 10, 1958 IN VEN TORS fads' 62W@ ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 27,'1959 `vr..1. KEARNEY ETAL 2,909,872

l CLENNINGy MACHINES Filed Feb. 1o. 1958v v 4 sheets-sheet z ,A TTORNE YS.

Oct. w27, 1959 T. J. KEARNEY ETAL 2,909,872

CLEANING MACHINES Filed Feb.. 1o, 1958 4 sneetsfsnee s mms/Tons. TIM/was Je//ie a BY JM/Hawai' A TTORNE YS.

Oct. 27, 1959 =r..i.KE.'AR1\|E-Y ETAI- 2,909,872

CLEANING MACHINES Filed Feb. l0, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 @Hmm acknowl- @ww @d ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent l CLEANING MACHINES Thomas J. Kearney, Detroit, and Earl J. McNamara,

Trenton, Mich., assignors to Detrex Chemical Indusl tries, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application February 10, 1958, Serial No. 714,397 Claims. (Cl. 51-164) This invention relates to cleaning machines, i.e., to machines useful in cleaning or removing grease and/or dirt from small objects, particularly small pre-fabricated machine parts such as nuts, bolts, washers, etc. by treatment, for example, with trichlorethylene or other chlorinated solvents. l.

The chief aim of our invention is to provide a machine, suitable for the above and analogous -purposes, lwhich is simple in construction; which is highly elhcient in operation both from the standpoint of the power required for its operation and in consumption of the cleaning fluid or solvent; and through which the parts or materials to be treated are continuously passed and cleansed of grease and/or dirt in a minimum of time as well as dried before discharge from the machine.

Howvthe foregoing and other important advantages are realized in practice will appear from the following del tailedy description of the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view showing the front side elevation of our improved cleaning machine with a portion of its housing broken out to expose important details at the interior.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine as viewed from the left of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary broken out view showing the machine in longitudinal section.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in transverse section taken as indicated by the angled arrows lV-IV in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation looking as indicated by the angled arrows V-V in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken as indicated by the angled arrows VI-VI in Fig. 3.

With more specic reference first to Figs. 4l these illustrations, it will be seen that the cleaning machine of our invention comprises a horizontally-elongate housing 1 with an immersion reservoir 2 in one end therelof which is provided with a sight gauge 3, and which is separated by a transverse dam partition 4 from a boiling chamber 5 in the other end of the housing. As hereinafter more fully explained, cleaning uid, which may be a chlorinated solvent such as perchlorethylene, is continually introduced into the immersion reservoirv 2 and overflows the dam partition 4 into the boiling chamber 5 in which latter it is maintained at the low level indicated at .L in Fig. 1. The heat in the chamber 5 not only maintains the solvent at the boiling point but sucient heat is introduced to maintain it at the boiling state for constantly generating vapors by a submerged coil 6 into which steam is conducted, from a suitable source of supply, through -a pipe 7 under automatic control of a thermo- `stat 8; ywhile the solvent in the immersion reservoir 2 is kept hot by a submerged coil 9 to which steam is conducted through 'a branch pipe 10 leading from the pipe 7.

Disposed at an inclination to the horizontal within the housing 1 is a rotary drum 15 whereof the lower end is partially submerged in the solvent in the reservoir 2, said drum extending upwardly over the boiling chamber 5 into the raised portion 16 at oneend of 'the housing whereof the roof 17 is sloped in parallelism with the drum. As shown, the drum 15 has a perforated cylindrical shell 18fwhich is closed as at 19 at its lower end,. and which is partially closed at its upper end by a semicircular head 20, see Figs. 3 and 4. Extending through the drum 15 is an axial tube 21 of a much smaller diameter having, at opposite ends, circumferential flanges 22l and 23 whereto the end heads 19 and 20 are bolted, said tube being prolonged beyond the head 19 for Vthe purposes of a journal which is 'rotatively engaged in .a bearingblock 24 secured in place by U-bolts 25 upon a fixed supporting bracket 26 at the bottom ofthe immersion reservoir 2, see Figs. 1, 3 and 5. Surrounding the drum'15 vadjacent its upper end is an angle section tread band 27 which Vis contacted by four annularly-arranged rollers 28 whereof the trunnions are engagedin bearings Z9 xed upon angle beams 30 extending crosswise between Vopposite side walls of the housing'l.A By'the means just described, it will be seen that the drum 15 is rotatively supported adjacent its upper end, the thrust due to its inclination and its weight being taken by engagement of the circumferentially projecting flange of the `tread band Y27 with; another pair of rollers 31 rotating in xed bearings 32 on inclined structural members 33 within'the housing.

Disposed approximately halfway about the bottom of the drum 15 centrally above the boiling chamber 5 is a coil 34 (Figs. l and 4) through whichwater orfother cooling fluid is passed, the inlet of the coil being indicated at 35 and the outletat 36. Underlying. the coil 34 is a plate 37 for catching the drip of condensed solvent collecting on said coil. j 5

By reference to Fig. 3, it will be observed that the axial tube 21 of the drum 15 is blocked somewhat 'inward of the plane of the head 19 by a diaphragm 40, and is provided with a pair of diametral discharge openings 41 (Figs. l and 6) offset relative to each other in the direction of the length of the tube. Also, as" shown, the-tube 21 is provided with perforations 42 (Fig. l) approximately midway of its length. Bolted to the upper end of the tube 21 is a funnel-like exten-sion 43 having, internally of its tapered portion, a-spiral 44 which is pitched oppositely to the spiral 11 within the drum 15.l Se't'into the top of the upper extension 16 of the housing 1 is a charging chute 45 of which the outlet spoutv 46 extends through an axial opening in the upper end of the funnel 43, there being a bae 47 within the chute opposite the inclined wall 48 ofthe latter. Y l Y For driving the drum 15, there is provided an electric motor 50 (Figs. 1 and 4) which, together with an associated speed reducer 51, is mounted on the sloping roof 17 of the housing, a sprocket pinion 52 on the output shaft of said reducer being connected by a chain 53 'to a toothed annulus 55 bolted to the circumferentialiiange 56 of the drum head 20.

As more fully explained hereinafter, the cleansed material is delivered from the upper end of the drum' '15 into a chute 60 which discharges the material onto an unloading platform 61 externally of the right handend of the housing 1. The platform 61 may be'provided with a bucket conveyor or the like (not illustrated).

Disposed at the rear ofthe housing is a storage' tank 65 which, and said housing, are surrounded adjacent the top by a jacket 66 through which coolant (which may be water) is circulated during normal use of the machine. Also during normal operation of the machine, the vapor condensation collecting on the helical coil 34`is shed and directed from the tray 37 to a pipe line 67 (Fig.

which empties into a water separator 68, the discharge from the separator flowing through `a valvev 69 in said pipe line and emptying into the immersion reservoir 2 from whence it overilowsthe dam into the vaporgen'- erating boil chamber 5, thus completing the 'solvent cycle .Patented oct. .27, 1.959

within the apparatus. During clean up periods, the valve 69 is closed so that all distilled solvent is conducted through a connecting pipe line 70 into the storage tank 6. The motor driving pump shown at 72 serves to transfer distilled solvent from the storage tank 65 to the immersion reservoir 2, as needed, by opening the valves 73 and 74 in another pipe line 75 and closing valves 76 and 77. Only in case of emergency, for example upon development of a leak in the main body of the housing, is the solvent transferred from the immersion reservoir 2 to the storage tank 65 by closing valves 73 and 74 and opening valve 76 and 77. Also interposed in the pipe line 75 are drain valves 80 and 81. The level of the solvent in the storage tank 65 is visible from the exterior through a sight glass at 82.

For exhausting the residual solvent vapors when the machine is idled, there is provided a blower 85 which, with its driving motor 86, is mounted on the top of the housing at one end of the latter. Leading to the inlet of the blower 85 is a trunk 87 having an upward branch 3S that connects into the top of the upward extension 16 of the housing at the opposite end of the machine, and a downward branch 89 that passes through the front side wall of the housing and terminates within the evaporating chamber 5 somewhat above the solvent level L. During normal operation of the machine, the blower 85 is shut down and escape of vapors prevented by closing the damper indicated at 90 in the branch 88 of the trunk 37. As shown, a normally open blast gate 91 is provided adjacent the point of connection of the trunk branch 89 which connects laterally into the housing 1. When it becomes necessary to enter the housing 1, the blast gate 91 is opened to permit exhausting of the interior of the apparatus of all solvent vapors. For access into the housing 1, the latter is provided at one end with a retractable door 92 (Fig. 2), and a door 93 (Fig. l) at the back side wall. In the top of the storage tank 65 are two helical condensing coils 95, see Fig. 2, through which a coolant is circulated, the vapor condensate collecting on these coils dropping directly into the supply of the solvent in said tank.

Operation The material to be cleaned is introduced through the chute 45 into the funnel 43 and passes into the upper end of the axial tube 20 of the drum, the rate of its feeding being controlled by the spiral 43 within said funnel as the drum rotates. The material progressed by gravitation in the tube falls through the outlets 41 in said tube into the submerged lower end of the hollow of the drum and is tumbled about in the hot solvent contained in the immersion reservoir 2, the material being thereby cleansed of grease, and clinging dirt, the solid contaminants incidentally so removed sinking through the perforations in the drum shell into the bot- 4torn of said reservoir. By action of the spiral 11, the material is progressively elevated in the hollow of the drum 15 and is eventually delivered through the opening 20a in the drum head 20 into the chute 60 and by the latter discharged onto the unloading platform 61. As the material traverses the elevated portion of the drum 15 in the vapor zone above the boiling chamber 5, the excess entrained solvent lseeps through the perforations in the drum shell and drops to the bottom of said chamber, any solvent still adhering being finally evaporated completely from the material, and the material is dried in traversing the space over the evaporating chamber before delivery into the chute 60. In this connection it is to be understood that the solvent vapor accumulation in the lower portion of the tube 20 is vented through the perforations 42 below the vapor level maintained by the jacket 66, all or practically all of it being thereby retained within the housing and so prevented from escaping by way of the loading chute 45.

While for the purpose of exemplication herein, we

have particularly described our improved machine with use of chlorinated solvents as a cleaning medium, obviously cleaning fluids of other kinds may be employed as may be desired or required for the removal of soil from material other than machine parts. It is to be understood, moreover, that we do not consider ourselves limited to the precise hereinbefore described details of construction since, within the scope of the broader claims, various modifications are possible as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described our invention, we clairn:

l. In a cleaning machine, a drum supported for r0- tation at an inclination to the horizontal with the lower end thereof submerged in cleaning fluid in a reservoir, said drum having a perforated shell which is completely closed at its lower end to the passage of materal being cleaned and which is open at its upper end for ultimate discharge of such material from the machine, an inclined feed tube of smaller diameter than the drum extending lengthwise within the drum and spaced from the shell thereof, thereby forming an annular interval, said feed tube being open at the upper end for introduction of material to be cleaned, and closed `at the lower end, and provided inwardly adjacent the closed lower end of the drum with a lateral aperture communicating with said annular interval, a spiral disposed in said annular in* terval and attached to said drum, whereby the material to be cleaned upon introduction into the upper open end of the feed tube moves downwardly in the tube and passes through the said lateral aperture into said annular interval and, as the drum rotates, is tumbled about in the cleaning fluid and conveyed upwardly in said interval by rotation of said spiral to the open upper end of the drum and is there discharged from the machine; and means for rotating the drum and its associated spiral.

2. A cleaning machine according to claim l, wherein the tube of the drum is provided at its upper end with a funnel shaped extension, and further including a feed chute for the material with its outlet extending into the funnel shaped extension of the tube.

3. A cleaning machine according to claim 2, wherein the funnel is provided internally thereof with a spiral fin for controlling the rate of feeding of the material into the tube.

4. A cleaning machine according to claim l, wherein the tube is prolonged beyond the lower end of the drum and the prolongation is journalled in a fixedly positioned bearing within the reservoir; wherein the drum is provided adjacent its upper end with a circumferential track band having a periphery projecting flange; wherein a group of annularly-spaced fixedly-sustained freely-revolving rollers engage the track band to rotatively support the drum at its upper end; and wherein a plurality of freely revolving fixedly-sustained rollers bearing laterally against the flange of the track band take the axial thrust of the drum.

5. A cleaning machine according to claim l, wherein the driving means includes an electric motor with an associated gear reduction unit, a toothed annulus surrounding the upper end of the drum, and `a chain c011- necting the toothed annulus with a sprocket pinion on the output shaft of the lgear reduction unit.

6. In a cleaning machine a closed elongate housing; an immersion reservoir for hot chlorinated solvent, such as trichlorethylene, disposed in one end of the housing; a solvent boiling chamber in the other end of the housing: a jacket through which a coolant is circulated surrounding the housing at a level above the reservoir and the boiling chamber; a rotatable drum supported at an inclination to the horizontal within the housing with the lower end thereof submerged in the solvent in the immersion reservoir and the remainder thereof overreaching the boiling chamber and extending above the solvent vapor level determined by the jacket, said drum having a perforated cylindrical shell closed at the lower end and open at the upper end, an axial tube of smaller diameter with a lateral opening inwardly of the closed lower end of the drum, and a spiral in the annular interval between the shell and the axial tube; a loading hopper accessible exteriorly of the housing from which material to be treated is continuually introduced into the upper end of the axial tube of the drum for gravitation therein and release through the lateral opening therein into the drum proper for advance by the action of the spiral to the upper end of the drum after having been tumbled about in the solvent in the immersion reservoir; and a chute for receiving the cleansed material from the drum and discharging it at the exterior of the housing.

7. A cleaning machine according -to claim 6, further including a storage tank exteriorly of the housing; a coil disposed about the bottom of the upper portion of the drum within the housing in the solvent vapor zone above the boil chamber through which a coolant is circulated; a pan beneath the coil for catching the solvent condensation drip from said coil; means for conducting the solvent accumulation from the pan to the storage tank; and a pipe line having a Water separator interposed therein through which the recovered solvent, after purification, is returned by gravitation to the immersion reservoir.

8. A cleaning machine according to claim 6, wherein solvent is continually introduced into the reservoir to overflow from the latter into the boiling chamber, and further including outlet means for maintaining the solvent at a relatively low level in the boiling chamber; and heating meants submerged respectively in the solvent in said immersion reservoir and in said boiling chamber.

9. A cleaning machine according to claim 6, wherein the housing is provided at one end with an upward prolongation into which the upper end of the drum extends and into which the loading chute is built; and an exhaust system comprising a trunk disposed longitudinally of the top of the housing, said trunk having an upward inlet branch connecting into the top of the upward prolongation of the housing, and a downward inlet branch extending into one side of the housing at a level somewhat above the solvent in said chamber; and a motor driven suction fan at the discharge end of the trunk.

10. A cleaning machine according to claim 9, in which a shut-off damper is interposed in the upward branch of the exhaust trunk.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,601,497 Greene Sept. 28, 1926 1,642,632 Titgen Sept. 13, 1927 2,273,528 Karp Feb. 17, 1942 2,739,427 Ransohoi Mar. 27, 1956 

